The first-ever UFC fight in Saudi Arabia featuring female combatants arrived on Saturday, as Canada’s Jasmine Jasudavicius took on ex-title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva.
Jasudavicius was welcoming “Sheetara,” who she had trained with in the past, back to the flyweight division. The Canadian started the night ranked #12 at 125lbs, while Silva, having not fought as a flyweight in some time, was not ranked.
The history-making bout opening with Silva quickly moving to center, with Jasudavicius on the outside. “Sheetara” fired a low kick, with Jasudavicius returning one of her own. A front kick followed, missed, and a second was briefly caught by Jasudavicius, which left Silva hopping.
Later in the opening frame, it was Jasudavicius threatening with a crucifix when the pair went to the ground. She then transitioned to the back, with Silva defending well. Jasudavicius kept the pressure up, though at the end of the round, with the Canadian on top, Silva threatened with both an arm-bar and leg lock off her back.
Between rounds, Jasudavicius’s corner was thrilled with her performance, noting she’d caused a mouse over Silva’s left eye. As for Silva, her corner was blunt: she had lost round one.
It was Mayra Bueno Silva catching a kick to open round two, but Jasudavicius hopped back to the fence then broke free. A takedown attempt by Jasmine saw her forced to fight off a standing guillotine; in a clinch, she landed a couple of punches, which Silva answered with a knee. Jasudavicius continued to work on the outside, Silva walking her down and firing a kick to the body. Silva landed a straight, while Silva ripped the body. Jasudavicius feigned a takedown, fired a front kick, and forced Silva back, in what had, through three minutes, been a much closer round through three minutes.
After a brief clinch, Silva appeared to become frustrated, complaining that Jasudavicius had grabbed her hair, but the ref ordered them to fight on. Then, with a minute twenty left on the clock, the Canadian changed levels and landed a solid takedown. Silva again started complaining, this time about a head butt, but the ref ruled it a shoulder strike. Silva would prove flexible off her back, and hunt for a limb, but through all of it, Jasudavicius was able to land little ground n’ pound shots, likely taking the round again.
Following the second, an exhausted Silva was slow to get to her feet and was helped to her corner. Her team called for a 3-4 to knock her out, telling her she’d lost both rounds.
With that in mind, Silva started round three looking scrappy. Jasudavicius held her own, landing a solid knee in a clinch at one point. Two minutes in, and Jasmine landed a solid takedown, with Silva simply unable to defend. That takedown, with Silva exhausted, might have put a pin it it for Jasudavicius. She worked her way into mount, threatening with an arm-triangle choke. Silva defended the setup, but gave up her back, though she’d avoid a finish when all was said and done. Still, Jasmine Jasudavicius ended the bout dropping elbows, and there was no question who’d won.
Jasudavicius, post-fight, said she wanted the belt, in the meantime, her name goes in the history books as the first woman to win a UFC fight in Saudi Arabia.
Official Result: Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Mayra Bueno Silva by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
